Honey and over the counter remedies should be used to treat coughs rather than antibiotics doctors will be told.

Wheezing patients will be told to turn honey rather than the drugs under new draft guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice).

The step is the latest tactic in the battle to reduce the use of antibiotics and reduce the prevalence of anti-biotic resistance.

Dr Tessa Lewis, GP and chair of the antimicrobial prescribing guidelines group, said: “If someone has a runny nose, sore throat and cough, we would expect the cough to settle over two to three weeks and antibiotics are not needed.

“People can check their symptoms on NHS Choices or NHS Direct Wales or ask their pharmacist for advice.

“If the cough is getting worse rather than better, or the person feels very unwell or breathless, then they would need to contact their GP.”

Prime Minister Theresa May coughs as she delivers her keynote speech at the Conservative Party Conference at the Manchester Central Convention Complex in Manchester.

As many as one in five GP prescriptions for antibiotics may be inappropriate, according to research published by PHE earlier this year, and the body has warned that overuse of the drugs is threatening their long-term effectiveness.

Dr Susan Hopkins, from PHE, said: “Antibiotic resistance is a huge problem and we need to take action now to reduce antibiotic use.

“Taking antibiotics when you don’t need them puts you and your family at risk of developing infections which in turn cannot be easily treated.

“These new guidelines will support GPs to reduce antibiotic prescriptions and we encourage patients to take their GPs advice about self-care.”